Being an only child in a family that was in catering gave me a passion for food, and growing up in the 1960s influenced my interest in natural healing and other "hippyish" pursuits. OK, at that time, most people were more likely to talk about them, than actually find the energy to do them. Communal living might be fun (or a disaster for some), but you'd be surprised how little gets done.

It was only when me and my kids were on our own that I started growing food, after a particularly scarey Government Health Warning about carrots!. Herbs are a natural accompaniment (if only as companion plants), so I started to find out about herbal remedies and it all kind of came together.

I found out I was gluten intolerant a few years ago, so I put my cooking and my diet together to write recipes for fellow-sufferers.